The Las Vegas Raiders' leadership tandem of John Spytek and Pete Carroll was never on the same page. Fans mistook misalignment for diversity of thought, as Raider Nation was under the impression that the two were in lock-step, both trying to win now but also keeping an eye on the future.
It turned out, however, that Carroll was trying to "win now" with a bare bones roster that was built for the future. Spytek clearly thought that the veteran coach would give the team's younger players a chance, but instead, he relied on the cheap, unwanted veterans that Spytek signed as placeholders.
Spytek and Carroll signing contracts of different lengths should have been an indication that the organization itself viewed these two on separate timelines. Spytek's way will be the way going forward, as Carroll was relieved of his duties one day after the 2025 NFL season concluded.
John Spytek's "10-win" comment: Freduian slip or pure coincidence?
Emerging from the shadows to speak with reporters for the first time since roster cutdowns back in late August, Spytek was asked about what he is looking for and prioritizing in the Raiders' search for their next head coach. He may have subtly taken a jab at Carroll with his response.
"We're looking for someone to build this the right way and not think that we've got to produce 10 wins or whatever next year," Spytek said. "That'd be great to do. And we see teams like the Patriots and the Jaguars flip it. I've always kind of thought that you're never as good in this league as you think you are, and you're never as far away as you think you are."
Carroll infamously told reporters, on more than one occasion, that he expected to win 10 games or more this season, because that's simply what he does. It was either a strange coincidence, a Freudian slip, or a subtle shot at the team's now-former coach when Spytek used that specific example.
An incredibly honorable and good-natured person like Spytek probably wouldn't use his platform to tear down Carroll. So, perhaps this was just a subconscious thought of his that surfaced at the wrong time. Or it was happenstance. Raider Nation probably doesn't even mind if it was a calculated diss.
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Continuing about Las Vegas' preference at head coach, Spytek went on to describe a potential leader that is... How should we put this lightly? The literal opposite of who Carroll proved to be with the Raiders in his short stint.
"We're just going to go in open-minded. The work has begun upstairs this afternoon, and I've got to get back up here in a little bit and keep going," Spytek said. "We're going to prioritize whoever's the best coach for the Las Vegas Raiders; (that's) who we're going to hire. And we're not beginning with the end in mind. We want a meticulous build that will set us up for years of success in the future. And we have a great opportunity to do that with everything that we have out in front of us right now."
That all sounds great from the fan base's perspective, but the key component will be getting a coach to buy into that. Any candidate interviewing with Las Vegas needs to know that their job is secure if they don't immediately win. Cohesion and seeing eye-to-eye are necessary.
Whether Carroll feared for his job because he knew that he wasn't the Raiders' top choice in last year's coaching cycle, or the veteran coach was simply hardheaded about building for the future, it's clear now with Spytek staying that Las Vegas is entering a rebuild.
It may take a while, and there is no one clear direction that the franchise needs to take this offseason that is a surefire recipe for success. But it's safe to say that the Raiders' next head coach won't sit at the podium next fall and write checks that Spytek's roster is not planning to cash.